Our Opinion: FSU benefits from pre-eminent status

Here in Tallahassee, we don't need the Legislature to tell us that Florida State is a great university.

But when Gov. Rick Scott signed a wide-ranging education bill Monday, it became official. FSU and the University of Florida are now the state's pre-eminent universities.

That designation isn't just about bragging rights. It's about millions of dollars in extra revenue and about getting the go-ahead to push toward greater heights.

Pre-eminence isn't granted; it's earned.

The legislation provides 12 criteria for determining a pre-eminent university, and a school must meet all or nearly all to qualify for certain benefits. Those criteria range from the quality of incoming students (an average weighted grade-point average of 4.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale and an average SAT score of 1800 or higher) to expenditures on research, the number of patents awarded and national rankings.

In return, each pre-eminent university expects to received an extra $15 million a year over the next five years. That will go a long way toward helping FSU hire new faculty and perform even more research.

The designation also offers the universities extra flexibility - for example, allowing them to require freshmen to take certain courses that can't be satisfied by Advanced Placement credits. Down in Gainesville, UF received the OK to begin offering an online-only route toward a bachelor's degree next year.

Last year, a similar effort at establishing pre-eminent universities would have given FSU and UF even more of a financial reward by allowing them to seek tuition hikes beyond the caps set on other schools. It passed out of the Legislature but was vetoed by Gov. Scott, who has been firm in his opposition to raising tuition.

But FSU isn't complaining about this year's bill.

Florida State already has developed a plan to break into the top 25 in the annual U.S. News & World Report national rankings (FSU currently is No. 42).

"We are extremely grateful that the governor and Florida Legislature have embraced this important measure, which sets high standards of excellence and then rewards the universities that meet these standards," FSU President Eric J. Barron said.

It's an honor and a responsibility - one that FSU is more than willing to accept.

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Our Opinion: FSU benefits from pre-eminent status

Here in Tallahassee, we don't need the Legislature to tell us that Florida State is a great university.